Gaming approvals, entitlements and machines

To operate gaming machines (commonly known as poker machines or pokies) in South Australia you must have a gaming machine licence and hold a gaming machine entitlement for each gaming machine in your possession.

Licence approvals

To have a gaming machine licence you must also already hold a:

hotel liquor licence

club liquor licence

special circumstances licence, special conditions apply.

Each gaming machine licence specifies the maximum number of gaming machines approved for a venue. The most any venue can have is 40 machines.

If fewer than 40 machines have been approved for a venue, the licence holder can apply to Consumer and Business Services (CBS) to increase the maximum number of approved machines.

When a new gaming machine licence is granted, no entitlements will be issued. To operate gaming machines, a licence holder will need to purchase entitlements either through the government’s approved trading system or under a contractual agreement with Club One.

Failure to comply with any of these licence conditions may result in the commissioner taking disciplinary action against the licensee.

Entitlements

Each gaming machine entitlement gives the licence holder the right to own and operate a single gaming machine at their venue. It is an offence to own or operate a gaming machine without holding an entitlement.

The number of entitlements held by a licence holder can't be more than the maximum number of gaming machines approved for the venue, as stated on the licence.

A licence holder can choose not to own or operate a gaming machine, even if they hold an entitlement.

Buy, sell or move an entitlement

Gaming machine entitlements can only be purchased, sold or moved between gaming venues in one of three ways:

under a contractual agreement with Club One, subject to approval by the Liquor and Gambling Commissioner

under an arrangement between licensed non-profit associations, subject to approval by the commissioner.

If a gaming machine licence is held by a non-profit association such as a club or community hotel, entitlements can be transferred to another non-profit association under an arrangement approved by the commissioner. This could be to allow the merger or amalgamation of gaming operations for the benefit of both non-profit associations.

Any changes to the number of entitlements held by a licence holder must be approved by the commissioner and will be stated on the gaming machine licence. This will not affect the maximum number of gaming machines that are approved for a venue.

Gaming machines

Monitoring

All gaming machines in South Australian hotels and clubs are monitored electronically by the Independent Gaming Corporation Ltd (IGC).

The state-wide electronic monitoring system is designed to configure, control and monitor every gaming machine in South Australian hotels and clubs. It operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and communicates with every machine in real time to ensure:

machines and installed software are approved and configured correctly

machines only operate during approved trading hours

gaming is not available unless the machines are secure and operating correctly

the collection of financial and statistical gaming data

the collection of information to assess a venue's gaming tax.

The monitoring system does not:

control or influence the outcome of any game

adjust the odds of winning or prizes paid.

SKYCITY Adelaide operates an independent system, which has been approved by the commissioner, to monitor gaming machines operating at the Adelaide Casino.

Purchase, sale and disposal

The purchase, sale or disposal of a physical gaming machine is the responsibility of the licence holder and must be done through a licensed gaming machine dealer.

Installation and maintenance

The installation, service, repair, disconnection or removal of a gaming machine can only be carried out by a licensed gaming machine service agent or an affiliate. There are currently two service licensees in South Australia: